Dozens of Pine-Richland parents rally for more in-person learning - TribLIVE

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Pine-Richland School District officials plan to gather more parental data as they work to offer five-day in-person learning to more grade levels in the next several weeks.

A survey is will be posted today asking parents of students in grades 4-12 if they want full online learning, five-day in-person instruction or to remain in the hybrid model with students in school two to three days a week.

“Covid-19 has challenged everyone, but that impact has been felt differently by different people, different families as they work and continue to find success,” Superintendent Brian Miller said during a presentation at a board meeting Monday night. “We also know that one size doesn’t fit all. At Pine-Richland, at each developmental level we’ve had different options and choices for families.”

However, for the several dozens of parents who rallied outside the administration building that evening, the choice was clear.

“We want five,” they chanted while holding signs of the same message.

Currently, students in grades k-3 and special needs students have a five-day in-person learning option. Most of the district is under the hybrid model.

According to the superintendent’s presentation, which was posted on the district’s website, the plan is to give fourth- through sixth-grade and seniors the option to return five-days a week starting March 18.

Spring break is from March 29 through April 5.

Seventh- through eleventh-grade would be allowed in schools five days a week starting April 8.

Miller said the district is “in a better place” to talk about offering more options to parents due to the reduction in covid cases as well as increasing vaccine distribution.

The district will review the conditions and covid cases around March 15 to see if those moves remain viable.

Parent Cathy Albrecht said having more in-person instruction would mean a world of difference for the children.

“It’s going to greatly improve the social well-being of the kids,” she said. “Socially, they’re all falling apart. Emotionally, mentally, they’re all falling a part. They’re really struggling. I don’t think the school district is looking at the whole picture. You have to have emotional well-being as well, not just academic success.”

Other parents at the rally said multiple nearby school districts offer in-person instructional days, and it is time for Pine-Richland to join them.

School director Greg DiTullio said he disagreed with the administration’s recommendation, and attempted to move a return to school up two weeks. His motion failed due to lack of a second.

“I won’t support waiting,” he said. DiTullio went on to talk about safety and risk when it comes to students, and supports a parent’s right to decide how much risk they are willing to take with their family’s educational opportunities.

The presentation indicated students may be closer than the recommended six feet should more return to the classrooms.

“Our model should also be giving the parents the choices,” he said. “They’re their kids. We are going above and beyond to protect our teachers and keep them in a six-foot zone. The parents can make that decision whether they feel that it’s safe for their students to be closer than six feet. The parents that aren’t comfortable with that are still going to have an option to have their children learn, but we need to give the option for all days a week.”

School director Christine Misback said the administration needs the two weeks from the parental survey to process the data, and for teachers to set up seating charts and other measures for returning students.

“Part of waiting is to be polite, respectful to the administration,” she said. “Part of that is getting the information to work on, to plan for seating charts for contact tracing. Not everybody is comfortable with returning into a close atmosphere. They want to know what it’s going to look like.”

Joe Cassidy, who has five children in the district, said he is tired of filling out surveys and the school board being reactive instead of proactive.

“Enough is enough,” he said. “Their job is not to enact policies and push agendas. They should be focusing on two people. The students and teachers and they don’t even talk to either one of them. They just push down. Enough. It’s tiring. It’s too little, too late.”

Fifth-grader Carter Mehlhorn was at the rally with his mother, Emily Stewart, and grandmother, Heidi Stewart.

Carter said the split between learning from home and at school has been very hard, and he wants to be back in classes with his peers more often.

Emily Stewart, who works from home and has two other children, said they do not feel like their voices are being heard, and the board is not doing what is best for students.

Heidi Stewart said she wanted to be at the rally to support her family and others.

“I’m grateful my children are grown up because I couldn’t handle what she’s been going through,” Heidi Stewart said.

Michael DiVittorio is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Michael at 412-871-2367, mdivittorio@triblive.com or via Twitter .

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